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NOTE ABOUT FIELD TRIPS All ages and experience levels of birders are welcome to participate. Some field trips will be more strenuous than others, but trip leaders can advise you of the amount of physical activity involved in a particular outing. You don't have to be an expert to go birding and have fun with Burroughs Audubon!  BURROUGHS AUDUBON FIELD TRIPS & OTHER LOCAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS NOVEMBER 2009 Saturday, Nov. 7 - Oxbow Lakes and St. Joseph (MO) area with Larry Lade. Join our friend, Larry Lade, from Midland Empire Audubon Society, as he leads us on a driving tour of the area that he regularly monitors south of St. Joseph. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the commuter lot in Platte City to carpool. We'll meet Larry at 8:00 a.m. at the Lake Contrary boat launch/swimming area. Directions to boat area: from I-29, take I-229 to HWY 752. Follow HWY 752 past US HWY 59, and cross the railroad tracks. Continue to a T-intersection with a blinking amber light. Turn right, and drive a short distance to the boat launch/swimming area. Bring drinks and snacks for this half-day trip. Contact Sherry Leonardo at  or Pat St. John at 913-706-5569 and  .Saturday, Nov. 14 - Lyon, Coffey and Osage Counties (KS) with Matt Gearheart. We'll meet at 6:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Olathe Holiday Inn at I-35 and 151st Street. We’ll repeat last years’ stop at BETO Junction Truck Stop for breakfast (home of the "world's largest" cinnamon rolls.) Extra calories will fuel a great birding day at Melvern Reservoir, Lyon Co. State Fishing Lake, John Redmond Reservoir, and Coffey County Lake, and other stops in search of Smith's Longspurs, grebes, loons, scoters, gulls, shrikes, sparrows, and Long-eared Owls. Bring food, beverages, and FRS radios for this all-day trip which will conclude with a bird tally and finger-lickin’ good barbeque (ribs highly recommended) at Guy and Mae's Tavern in Williamsburg. For more information, contact Matt at  or 816-569-0817.Saturday, Nov. 28 - Squaw Creek NWR with Mike Stoakes. This trip is in conjunction with the Wild Bird Center in Prairie Village. For carpooling, meet at 7:00 a.m. at the WBC (83rd and Mission) or at the Squaw Creek visitor center around 8:45 a.m. This is an all day driving trip on the Refuge’s 13-mile auto tour. We’ll witness multitudes of Snow Geese and waterfowl, as well as dozens of Bald Eagles. Bring a sack lunch, snacks, optics, field guides, and FRS radios. After lunch, we’ll make another loop around the refuge or explore other nearby areas, such as Big Lake State Park. Dress in layers, as conditions are often cold and windy at this time of year. Contact Mike Stoakes at  or 816-554-1956.DECEMBER 2009 Christmas Bird Counts: Trimble / Smithville - Saturday, Dec. 26 - Contact compiler, Kristi Mayo, at  or 816-289-7828.Kansas City - or 816-554-1956.Other area CBCs in Kansas and Missouri JANUARY 2010 Friday, Jan. 1 - Lake Jacomo and Fleming Park with Jim and Ellen Zellmer. Start the year with a bang! We'll meet at 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Jackson County Parks and Recreation offices at the intersection of Liggett and Woods Chapel Roads (watch for traffic light at this 3-way intersection). We'll bird the lake areas and some trails in the morning and continue in Blue Springs after lunch, for those who are interested. We'll look for winter residents and late migrants -- ducks, geese, sparrows, finches, eagles, hawks and, hopefully, some surprises! Be sure to dress for the weather and wear footwear for some light walking. If the weather is really cold, we'll warm up at the Burroughs Library. Questions? Contact Jim and Ellen Zellmer at  or 816-228-3955.Saturday, Jan. 23 - Lawrence, Clinton Reservoir and Perry Lake with Mark Land. Join us as we travel to Lawrence and Perry, KS in search of winter songbirds and waterfowl. We'll check the Kaw River bridge in Lawrence, Clinton Reservoir, and Perry Lake for gulls, raptors, waterfowl, sparrows, shrikes, and finches. Bring all the usual items: binoculars, scopes, FRS radios, drinks, snacks, money for lunch (we may stop to warm up at a local lunch spot), and cold weather gear (lakes are always windy places). The Kansas City group will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Wendy's at K-10 and Woodland Drive. If coming from other areas, contact Mark for a meeting spot in Lawrence. Contact Mark at 913-381-4324 or  if you plan to participate, so that he can contact you if the trip is cancelled because of the weather.Saturday, Jan. 30 - Blue River Parkway with Don Arney. Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot of the athletic fields at 128th and Blue Ridge Blvd. (please note that this is a different meeting location than usual). We'll spend 1/2 day walking the trails along the Blue River. Bring snacks and beverages. Contact Don Arney at 816-931-8536 or  for more information.FEBRUARY 2010 Feb. 12 - 14 - The Great Backyard Bird Count at the Burroughs Library. Join us during normal library hours for this citizen science project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. This year, we're promoting the GBBC as a great activity for families that's both free and educational, while also getting kids outside. In a time when people are cutting back expenses, the GBBC makes the perfect stay-cation! Saturday, Feb. 27 - Siskins, Sparrows, and Crossbills?! with Shari Harden. Perhaps it's false advertising, but a dedicated birder NEVER gives up hope! Meet Shari at 8:00 a.m. in the Commuter Lot at MO Hwy. 7 and I-70 (located on the north side of Price Chopper and behind Valvoline Store). We'll bird TBA locations on the east side of the metro area. Contact Shari Harden at 816-289-2230 or  , if you have any questions.Sunday, Feb. 28 - Powell Gardens with Alan Branhagen. Meet in the Visitor Education Center at 9:00 a.m. The usual entry fee will be waived (be sure to say that you’re with Burroughs Audubon). This half-day trip will cover the 3.25 mile Byron Shutz Nature Trail, so wear appropriate footwear, and bring snacks and water. Maybe we'll see another Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler! Some in our group may choose to have lunch afterwards at Café Thyme located in the Visitor Education Center. If you miss this trip, or truly enjoy it, Alan leads a Powell Gardens-sponsored hike each month, for a fee. For more information contact Alan at  .Sunday, Feb. 28 - Falconry Outing with Bob Payne. Plan to join us for this fifth winter excursion with a Master Falconer and his Harris's Hawk, "George". This trip is very dependent on weather conditions and small game animal populations. We'll meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Burger King at the intersection of I-35 and K-7 Highways in Olathe, KS (just east of the Great Mall of the Great Plains). Bob will answer questions before taking us to the hunting area. Please contact Elizabeth Stoakes at 816-554-1956 or  if you plan to attend, and provide contact information in case the trip must be postponed on short notice.Saturday Morning Bird Walks - Offered by the Corinth Square Wild Bird Center FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, 4046 West 83rd, Prairie Village, KS. Meet at the store at 8 a.m., bird for 2-3 hours, then return to the store. Call 913-381-5633 for more info. Bird Walks through December 2009:
*special all-day field trip MORE INFORMATION: For more information about our field trips or to volunteer to lead a trip, please contact Sherry Leonardo at , or Pat St. John at or by phone at 913-599-3106.
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